Texas carries out eighth execution this year

Christopher Young faces execution for the 2004 robbery and murder of a convenience store owner. File Photo courtesy of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice

July 17 (UPI) -- Texas carried out its eighth execution this year Tuesday, for a man convicted of the 2004 robbery and murder of a San Antonio convenience store owner whose son has asked that the killer be spared.

Christopher Young, 34, was administered the lethal injection at 6:13 p.m. at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville. Officials pronounced him dead 25 minutes later.

He was convicted in 2006 of killing Hasmukh "Hash" Patel, 55.

On Monday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to consider a petition filed by Hasmukh Patel's son, Mitesh Patel, who asked for clemency for Young.

"But because of me being drunk, it turned into a robbery. I wasn't even trying to kill an individual. I wasn't trying to kill 'Hash' that day. It just happened," Young said.

The Patel family was on Young's mind at the time of his execution.

"l want to make sure the Patel family knows I love them like they love me," Young said in his final statement. "Make sure the kids in the world know I'm being executed and those kids I've been mentoring keep this fight going. I'm good, warden."